Question 1

True or false: These crabs have a unique ability to regenerate lost limbs.

Accepted Answer

True. True. Like many crustaceans, they can regrow lost legs and claws through molting.

Question 2

True or false: These crabs are found primarily in warm tropical waters near Japan.

Accepted Answer

False. False. They inhabit cold deep waters (50–600 m) off the Pacific coast of Japan, not warm tropical seas.

Question 3

True or false: Their claws are strong enough to crush a human skull.

Accepted Answer

False. False. While large, their claws are relatively weak and used for scavenging, not crushing bone.

Question 4

True or false: Japanese spider crabs can have a leg span of up to 12 feet from claw to claw.

Accepted Answer

True. True. Their leg span can reach 12 feet (3.7 m), making them the largest arthropod by leg span.

Question 5

True or false: Japanese spider crabs are aggressive hunters that actively chase fish.

Accepted Answer

False. False. They are mostly scavengers, feeding on dead animals and algae, not active predators.

Question 6

True or false: Japanese spider crabs are smaller than the giant Tasmanian crab.

Accepted Answer

False. False. The Japanese spider crab is larger in leg span; the Tasmanian giant crab is heavier but not as wide.

Question 7

True or false: Their shells are covered in small hooks to attach kelp and sponges for camouflage.

Accepted Answer

True. True. They decorate their shells with sponges and seaweed using tiny hook-like structures for disguise.

Question 8

True or false: Japanese spider crabs can live for over 100 years.

Accepted Answer

True. True. They have a slow growth rate and can live up to 100 years, possibly longer in captivity.

Japanese Spider Crab Trivia Questions